The History of Atatürk University
The history of Atatürk University is a story of the realization of one of the most significant projects of the Turkish Republic. In his opening speech for the legislative year at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on November. 1, 1937, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of Turkish Republic, stressed the need to found abig university in the eastern Anatolia region of Turkey, ordering the required initiatives to be taken to this end.
After twelve-year cessation of the works following Atatürk’s death, then-third President Celal Bayar reawakened the issue in his inaugural speech to the parliament on November. 1, 1950. Upon his warning, the second Menderes government included the issue in its schedule. The office of the Universities of the Ministry of Education sent university rectorships a note numbered XIV/5366, dated 11. 6.1951, asking them to set up a science commission to found a higher educationand culture centre. Thereupon, after the issue was discussed in the inter-universityboard, a science commission of 15 members was set up, every five of them was selected by the senates of the existing three universities of the time. The commission, headed by the Minister of Education Tevfik İleri, held its firstmeeting in Ankara, on July. 7, 1951. A decision was taken by the commission togo on an investigative tour in eastern provinces. Accompanied by the President Bayar, the tour started.